El Cerrito officer-involved shooting suspect identified

EL CERRITO --Police identified the man shot and critically injured by El Cerrito officers and provided more specifics Saturday as to what led up to the shooting.

Two El Cerrito officers, with a combined eight years of law enforcement experience, fired six shots at Michael Christopher Johnson, 48, of Richmond, after he pointed his gun Thursday night at his long-time girlfriend who he had been pistol-whipping behind a gas station at San Pablo and Potrero avenues, police said.

Johnson was taken to the hospital in critical condition and has been arrested on suspicion of domestic battery, assault with a deadly weapon, illegal gun possession and attempted murder.

Johnson's girlfriend was taken to the hospital, treated and released later that evening, police said.

Police were dispatched to the beating after receiving several 911 calls from nearby residents who heard the woman yelling for help. When officers arrived around 6:40 p.m. Thursday, they found Johnson striking the woman in the head with a pistol, police said. When police ordered him to stop, police said he pointed the gun at his girlfriend and the officers fired, hitting him several times.